Googlified in 2013

I am thankful to Google since I started to become active in social media, switching to easy to manage blogger from my oh so complicated blog site, I never left and managed quite a number of blogs as of this writing. Through the active initiative of the local groups here, I also learned how to use Google map. Though not active for the year 2013, I still made it to the big events the recently organized Google Business Group in Gensan arranged. Like the Women on Web, obviously a gathering of women and empowering them through social media, even inviting the You tube famous "Juana Change".

We should never miss the biggest Google event in General Santos City so far, with more than 300 attendees  - GDayX Mindanao. Held at the event center of SM Gensan, Google people visited Gensan and shared technologies, applications and programs that are a huge help for mankind. One thing I remember during that gathering is - "Moon Shot". Google it. 

BLOGFEST SOCCSKSARGEN 2.0

Any Soccsksargen Blogger's member is always looking forward for an eyeball, much more a Grand EyeBall! Before 2011 ends, a gathering of Mindanao's bloggers, online writers and social media enthusiast will be once again made possible by no less than Mr. Avel "BARILES" Manansala the author of the multi-awarded GenSan News Online Mag and other Sox bloggers.

For a fast read, here's the important details of the Blogfest Soccsksargen 2.0:

Date: November 26, 2011

Time: 8:00am - 5:00pm

Venue: TBA

Theme: "The emergence of blogs and social media"

Confirmed Speakers: (you may see the poster above)

1. Usec. Manolo Quezon 
2. Mae Paner aka JUANA CHANGE
3. Abe Olandres
4. Flow Galindez
5. Jack Madrid 
6. Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio
7. and 3 more waiting for confirmation...

So if you wish to join you may do so by clicking the page of Blogfest Soccsksargen. Online registration is still open!

Blogger Insider: DoleFil's CHAIRS FOR TREES PROJECT

"You cannot hope to build a better world without improving individuals. We all must work for our own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity." - Marie Curie

Some people says that if you are sincere in helping others, you do not need to publicize and magnify a buzz about it. But there are some that needs to be highlighted to inspire others and ignite their passion in helping other people, like Dolefil's Chairs for Trees Project.

CHAIRS FOR TREES.

As part of Dolefil's environmental advocacy and a Community Development Reciprocating Action Project, CHAIRS FOR TREES started way back in 2003, where the wooden palettes used by the company are recycled into school armchairs, which are then donated to different public schools in the region. It is the kind of project which creates big impact to different aspects and addresses numbers of today's concerns; that goes by the saying hitting two birds with one stone. For Dolefil's case hitting three or more birds with one stone.

to be recycled

RECYCLING.

Dolefil or Dole Philippines Incorporated is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and fresh cut flowers with a growing line of quality packaged foods. The company particularly uses wooden palettes as part of it processes. This palettes tends to become brittle after a number of usage, thus become unusable for the company. Instead of having it naturally degrade in a dump site, these wooden palettes are collected and turned-over to their partner cooperative for recycling.

At Unified Engineering and Manpower Services Multi-Purpose Cooperative, these wooden palettes are transformed into useful and colorful armchairs, kiddie chairs, kiddie tables or pews. Dolefil will then pay the cooperative P270 per armchair fabricated.

the famous chairs

RECIPROCATE

"Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it."

Since the project started, it has donated almost 50,000 chairs to different schools, day care centers and churches in Region XII. Unlike the other usual plain dole out activities, the Chairs for Trees project does not only give chairs, it also promotes the culture of give and take among the recipient community. For every P10 worth of Dolefils' assistance, the beneficiary should reciprocate by planting and growing a tree. In the case of the school armchair which is worth P270, the adopted school should grow 27 trees per chairs donated. Seedlings are still provided by Dolefil, all they have to do is to plant and make sure to grow at least 80% of the total number of the trees planted for assessment.

The project thus not only answer the needs of the public schools in the region but also addresses the issue on global warming thus it is called the CHAIRS FOR TREES Project.

Chairs for Trees also created jobs

LIVELIHOOD.

The project also created a livelihood for the community. Carpenters and painters are given jobs by the Unified Engineering and Manpower Services Multi-Purpose Cooperative who manufactures the chairs. 

The seedlings on the other hand are purchased by Dolefil from Mt. Matutum  Federation of Marginal Farmers Association located at Barangay Maligo, Polomolok South Cotabato. Each seedlings is being sold for P1.75 to Dolefil for the Chairs for Trees project as well as its other Corporate Social Responsibility activities. In a year, Dolefil procures millions of seedlings from the said association which gives them an assured earning yearly.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

The project involves two essential factors in saving Mother Earth - RECYCLING and PLANTING TREES. Both are made sustainable by the project through Dolefil and its partner agencies.

PARTNERS.

Dolefil tied up with a dependable group in its Chairs for Trees Project and its many other CSR programs through Mahintana Foundation, Inc. The foundation are responsible in identifying beneficiaries and arranging the turn-over ceremonies for the Chairs for Trees. They are also the ones who evaluates the adopted schools if they have done their part by growing at least 80% of the trees planted. 

Dolefil also has a long standing public private relationship with the Local Government Units in Region XII.For the year 2011 the Province of South Cotabato and Dolefil partners in the Chairs for Trees amounting to P5 million in which other LGU's should follow suit.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Special thanks to: Dolefil; Miss Gwyn Ann Marie Ebol - Communication Superintendent of Dolefil for the CSR Tour; Mr. Kinmark Depaylan of Mahintana Foundation Inc.;  Sir Avel Manansala, RS Dee for the photos used in this post and the SOCSKSARGEN Bloggers 

Been to: IML Resort & Nature Park

Sarangani Province is indeed working hard for its tourism. The success of the recent Sarangani Bay Festival says it all. But that is just the other side of Sarangani, The other side is also gaining its fair share of popularity as well. If Gumasa, Glan is proud of its white sand beaches, the Municipality Maasim Sarangani got different type of fun to offer.

Slowly drawing crowds from its locality and neighbors, Maasim's Lemlunay already got its regular from the diver community, extreme sports enthusiast also troop there for the Water Tubing adventure and to those who want a serene beach setting on a weekend goes to Susan Beach Resort.

Last April 8, another tourist destination opened at Barangay Lumasal, Maasim Sarangani Province, Philippines.

 Pool 1 - also known as the Kiddie Pool

IML Resort and Nature Park is strategically located on top of a hill just before you reach Kiamba. The place has two big swimming pools. One for the kids with 4 feet as the deepest part plus two slides and the other one for adults which is 8 feet deep. For an adrenaline pumping activity, IML Resort and Nature Park has a 500-meter long Zip line. A firing range is also set-up to those of you who enjoys the thrill of practice shooting. Little children would also enjoy the kiddie playground designed for them. Planning to stay overnight? Fret not for IML Resort and Nature Park got affordable hotel rooms good for the whole group or your family. They also have a restaurant which offer meals for the budget conscious tourists. They also serve different dishes of native chicken. They say they got a function hall but I haven't seen it so I cannot tell you exactly its person capacity. 

 Uphill -Downhill

IML Resort and Nature Park got all the elements of a good place for relaxation. With an easy view of the vast Sarangani Bay, it is like enjoying God's creation at its best. They have an accommodating staff which are mostly from the locality of Barangay Lumasal. Maybe with more trainings and orientation the human resource of the resort will be better. There are few restrictions though, since 1ML got restaurant, bringing of foods is discourage- but if you cannot help it  you'll have to pay for the corkage. You also cannot bring floaters and the likes (e.g.salbabida) - the resort has floaters for rent.

Playground

Rating the resort, 10 as the highest I will give them 6 for now. As we always say there is always a room for improvement. Here are some things that I am not very happy about IML - their open cottages area is so small that you can already rub the elbows of the other people occupying the next cottage. Aside from that, the cottages cannot keep you from getting wet if it rains - the management should do something about that. I would also recommend they assign a standby waiter with a walkie talkie at the open cottage area to take orders and requests of their guests and customers, since going to the restaurant from the pool area is tedious considering the uphill/downhill walk you need to take. Those are just my 10-cent worth for now.


If you wish to visit the resort one of these days, here are some of there rates:
ENTRANCE - Php 50 (Day Rate)
                      - Php 75 (Night Rate)
ZIPLINE       - Php 200/ride
COTTAGES - Php 150 (small)
                     - Php 200 (small)
ROOMS       - Php 1,500 - Php 2,000


Oopps! Before I forget, tell your driver to check your car's brakes if you are planning to go the resort. It is an uphill drive afterall.


For more inquiries or reservation you may 
contact these numbers: 09489757710 & 09077494549.

Un Dadsan Festival 2011

The southern most part of Mindanao is becoming one of the places that travelers both local and foreign would love to visit. With the growing popularity of the Sarangani Bay Fest that is annually staged by the government of Sarangani Province, people considers this part of Mindanao a place to be during Summer Breaks. Check the Schedule of Activities of SarBay Fest here.

Sarangani and General Santos City is gifted with beaches that should be taken care of thus the Barangay Council of Dadiangas South thru the leadership of Punong Barangay Alvin Veneracion- taking cue from its neighbor - conceptualize a Summer Feast that can be likened to the SarBay Fest of Sarangani. Highlighting the improvements of the then Lion's Beach - the Festival would like to promote and develop the Queen Tuna Park into an inexpensive Summer destination.

An addition for the Summer Attraction in SOCSSKSARGEN is the 1st Dadiangas South UN DADSAN Festival. Before you troop to the white beaches of Gumasa, Glan, check out the Dadsan Festival on May 4-7, 2011 at the Queen Tuna Park, General Santos City.

Beach activities includes, Volleyball, Football, Frisbee and other competitions you could think of. See the poster above for the schedule of activities.

It will be a party 

from 

Sun Up to 

Sun Down 

at Queen Tuna Park 

with the 

1st DadSAn Festival!

BUSY B Proud Mapper

MAP YOUR WORLD. With Google Map Maker application, anyone can map and tag their neighborhood as easy as one-two-three. 

Google Map Maker is a service launched by Google in June 2008,^[1] designed to expand the breadth of the service currently offered by Google Maps. In some countries mapping data is unavailable, and so to combat this problem Google has decided to open up Google Maps to a collaborative community effort in certain territories. The project is similar to OpenStreetMap (OSM), but unlike OSM which provides its map data under a Creative Commons license, Google obtains "... a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display, distribute, and create derivative works of the User Submission".^[2] 

The ultimate goal of the project is to acquire sufficient high-quality mapping data to be published and used on the existing Google Maps service.  -wikipedia- 

FLASHBACK. My first Google Mapping Party was a year and five days ago - April 25, 2011 (days before the historical Philippine National Elections). It was a Google Precinct Mapping Party organized by Sir Avel Manansala held at Grab A Crab Restaurant Oval Room, Robinsons Place- GenSan. The party served as  Google Philippines' and the Sox Bloggers'  share for the National Elections - to help voters locate their Voting Precincts in a breeze and in effect increase the voter turn-outs and achieve a better Philippines. Pnoy won as President and he rest as we always say is history.

24 Busy Mappers in Blue*

NOW. April 30, 2011. Still through Sir Avel Manansala's determination, the very first Google Mapping Party in General Santos City for the year 2011 took place at the City Mayor's Office New Conference Room. With the objective of mapping and tagging the places which will be highly necessary in time of disaster or calamity, Twenty Four Map Volunteers spent more than four hours,  pointing, lining, shaping, zooming in and out or adding name in their neighborhood and the rest of Socsksargen. To make the mapping more systematic, each volunteer are assigned either a municipality or a Barangay or two to map or tag.


My assignment's my own barangay - Apopong and supposedly the neighbor Barangay Sinawal as well but since the images are not that clear, I was not able to tag or map a single establishment for Barangay Sinawal. For Barangay Apopong, I successfully located and tagged the Barangay Hall, Barangay Gymnasium, a School and some chapels and hopefully before the year ends I can able to identify all the important landmarks of Barangay Apopong.

Busy-B Mapping*

Special thank yous goes out to all the sponsors of this activity. Google Philippines, Jollibee Gaisano - Cruchy Chicken Burger, Mamma Maria's Pizzeria, Zagu Pearl Shake, Smart Bro, City Mayor's Office and gensanboy.com.


Lets spread the virus and continue on Mapping our World!


*Photos by Sir Avel Manansala

TAKBO GENSAN SERIES 9

I remembered waking up very early of October 31, 2011 to join the PNP's Takbo Gensan para sa Kabataan. It was a well attended fund raising activity whose primary objective is to help the Youth of the city and to reach-out to the civil society. Click this for related article. From then on, the PNP continued this program with different objective every other Sunday.

Now for the nth time, the General Santos City Police Office is inviting everyone   to their Takbo Gensan Series entitled 

KAGITINGAN MARCH - "Freedom Run" on April 10, 2011.

Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation No. 466, s 1989 declaring the period of April 5 - 11 of every year as the Philippine Veterans Week and Executive Oder No. 203 - 2, 1987, declaring April 9 as "Araw ng Kagitingan",the GSCPO celebrates the historic event with one of the Takbo Gensan Series.

Bataan Day shall also be celebrated by commemorating those who lost their lives defending the peninsula of Bataan (in the Philippines) against the Japanese in 1941 - 42 and those who subsequently died on the "Bataan Death March". Also called "Day of Valor". Celebrated on April 9th, each year.

TAKBO GENSAN Series 8, KAGITINGAN MARCH - "Freedom Run" will take place on April 10, 201; 5 o'clock in the morning at Oval Plaza Ground, General Santos City.

You register from March 30 - April 9, 2011 by visiting the General Santos City Police Office or by contacting these numbers: 301-6728(landline); 09298725321(mobile) Look for PO2 Lourei-liz S. Framil-Rodriguez, the Takbo Gensan Series Coordinator.

Registartion Fee:
 
Php25.00 - Elementary

Php 50.00 - Adults

Php250.00 - w/ T-Shirt




To those of you who wish to get a shirt make sure to reserve in advance. The first 150 to register can get hold of the Takbo Gensan Series 9 Shirt. Here's a picture of the shirt for those interested.

You may also add the General Santos City Police Office on Facebook by clicking this.

CONCERT SERIES: Ely Buendia to PARTY for TUNA FEST

East Asia Royale Hoyel had been so generous in bringing music artists in General Santos City to celebrate its festivals. For the 23rd Tuna Festival, the East Asia management will be bringing no less than ELY BUENDIA!

So if you missed the popular Eheads songs, better check this one! Ely would surely make the girls scream for more of the Eheads songs. Click this link for more information.

You may also check other TUNA EVENTS before going to this party:

SASHIMI NIGHT

MR. and MS. GENSAN

WHOA GENSAN!

CONCERT SERIES: ASAP SESSIONISTAS CONCERT TOUR A MUST WATCH

Thanks to the Gensan News Online Mag, for giving me a complimentary ticket and I was able to watch the ASAP SESSIONISTAS LIVE IN GENSAN CONCERT. (Click this link how i got that ticket)

Sitti and Richard Poon had been my favorites since they started in the music biz, so when they started performing as ASAP Sessionistas, I become an instant fan of the group. Good thing, me and my partner share the same feelings towards them. So when the group came to General Santos City, we made sure not to miss the chance of seeing them perform live.

my forever FAVORITES

September 10, 2010 - The heavy downpour did not stop us from trooping to the event venue. Quarter to Eight, with my complimentary ticket and my boyfriend's discounted ticket at hand, we looked for a good seat, since all the bestest seats are for the very,very,very important people of GenSan (that includes the Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao).

Now for my expectation check.

Screaming and loud and crazy fans are definitely present, but they did not fill the venue. It may be because of the rain, which makes us lazy or may be because of the pricey tickets. But first consider these facts: 1. You are paying for six uber talented artists not just any trying hard performers; 2. Expect numbers of production numbers from the groups where they perform mostly POP songs like songs from Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Jonas Brothers, Michael Jackson and many more. Aside from that, each artists are given their solo time on stage as they perform two songs of their forte; 3. The price you are paying when you are in the provinces is way cheaper compared when you are going to watch them in the Metro. Make that DOUBLE. So, if by chance ASAP SESSIONISTAS will visit your provinces, make sure to save up for them and I'll tell you, it is WORTH IT!

first set with ASAP SESSIONISTAS

Astonishing production numbers. CHECK! Add the sexy G-Force dancers as back-up is awesome. Totally way better than watching them on TV. Watching them sweat it out, as they sing and dance, absolutely PRICELESS.

girls only. Juris: Pagbigyan na natin si Aiza

Phenomenal repertoire. CHECK! Who did not bounced their heads, danced on their seats, waved their hands, sing along to the popular songs the group performed? Listening to them as they sing their famous singles would really melt your heart out! I am just thrilled when they performed few of my favorites like Richard Poon performed "Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko", Sitti sang "Para sa Akin", Duncan did a South Border medley and Nina, singing the controversial "Someday". As they perform, I can attest the versatility of these artists. They may be exceptionally good with their genres but they can do things out of their comfort zone. Undeniably BRILLIANT!

just like playing with style

Voices. voices. voices. Their voices are without a doubt A++++! It was such an experience! Endless goosebumps as you hear each artists belt it out. Aside from the voices, it is evident on the stage their passion for performing to their fans. They are FUN to watch because of the fact that you can see that they too are enjoying. They are not on the stage only because they have to sing for the paying public; they are on the stage to do what they love to do! 

great JOB Sessionistas!

BRAVO for you Duncan, Aiza, Juris, 

Sitti, Richard and Nina!

Thank you that one memorable night!

Concert Series: Yamaha & BAMBOO rocked GENSAN

As part of the promotional tour of YAMAHA Motor Philippines, a 3-day promotional activity they have dubbed as YAMAHA FIESTA 2010 were conducted here in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, where else but in General Santos City. Staged in the newest mall in the city, Robinsons Place, they brought BAMBOO on the second night to give free and wholesome entertainment to the Generals.

Who am I to miss a free and good show? The gang went to Robinsons Place to check the new models of Yamaha Motorcycles and I fell in love with the new Yamaha Scooter "Fino". Might get one of these Authentic looking scooters one of these days.

Yamaha Fino

Now, on with the show. 

As people start to pile up the parking lot of Robinsons Place waiting for the much awaited performace of Bamboo, Yamaha took time in bragging their latest motor models through interesting dance spectacle. Funny contests also liven up the crowd.

 Then came BAMBOO!

As expected shrills conquered the cloudy evening of Saturday when Bamboo Mañalac grabbed the microphone and started the group's performance. Together with the ever delictable Ira Cruz and the rest of the band, BAMBOO made the crowd go gaga as they played their hits like Tatsulok, Noypi, Probinsyana, Hallelujah and more famous Bamboo songs that made the crowd sing along.

The mood became nostalgic, when the group performed tracks during their Rivermaya days. I jumped, danced and sang with the rest of the Generals when Bamboo performed Ulan, Hinahanap-hanap kita and Awit ng Kabataan.

This had been the third time of Bamboo to visit GenSan and they never fail to put the crowd in awe. Always wowing them with their energy and superb performance. 

Thank you Yamaha for bringing Bamboo 

to General Santos City!

GANDANG ORMAN...

Here's a very last special contest entry for the 1st Birthday of the ever generous GandaEverSoMuch.com. This is yet the most demanding blog contest I am joining. Well, His Royal Gandaness has all the reason to put pressure to all his followers.

I never intended to join this last contest to be honest, I never had "THE" best encounter/experience with GANDA, yet. Our meetings belongs to the FORGETABLE archives. All we have is this CYBER thing. We are just FB/PLURK friends. But when a surprising notification from facebook stating that Orman tagged me in one of his posts/links "WHERE ARE YOUR ENTRIES? PWEDE KONG MAPATAWAD ANG DI PA AKO NAMI-MEET PERO KAYONG MGA MAHAL KO HINDI PWEDENG WALANG ENTRY! HMP!"... (Orman loves me? WOW!.. Wish mo lang dai...), I shouldn't have entertained the second thoughts at the first place. 

"Si Orman at si Lumix"

(one of my stolen shots of Sir Orman)

Allow me to likened him to the RED QUEEN of Alice in Wonderland. His mere presence makes me unnecessarily giddy and too afraid that I might hear him utter the infamous "OFF WITH HIS/HER HEAD". We never had those little tête-à-tête, YET. I am up to this very moment, is very intimidated by him.

waaaaa.......

First KISS. First LOVE. First etcetera. The FIRSTS in our lives are not easy to forget. In fact, it is stored in a small box in our head for keepsakes. My FIRST with Sir ORMAN was also my first with the some of the SOCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS. It was also my very first blogger activity- SMI Discovery Tour. And it was all stored in my little box for safety.


In person, my meeting with the Royal Gandaness was nothing extraordinary. We said our HELLO. We shared a smile. Exchange a retort or two. And shared our appreciation for good looking boys. It was a mere ACQUAINTANCE.  Not on the world wide web, I feel closer to Sir Orman online. Thanks to the now one year old GandaEverSoMuch.com,  I get to know his exes, currents and soon-to-be's. I know where he loves to hang and dine. I also know one of his little dirty secret - sometimes, he is too lazy to bathe on weekends... ssssshhh... I can also give unsolicited suggestions and advices freely. Busy as a bee, Sir Orman finds time to read comments and let everyone knows that they are being heard. I may not be one of his charmed ones or his adopted bloggers, but I am happy just knowing him.

"Dulo sa Dulo"

(Guess where I am?)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GANDAEVERSOMUCH!

JOIN Brokenshire College's WALK for a CAUSE

I learned from my sister who is an alumni of Brokenshire College SocSKSargen, Inc that they are mounting a fund raising activity - WALK for a CAUSE tagged "A Joyful Walk to a Healthy Body and Mind" on July 20, 2010. This activity's primary objective is to raise fund for the forthcoming operation of one of the faculty of the said institution - Mrs. Alma Reyes, RN.


Open for all interested, the walk will start exactly at 5:00 in the morning from General Santos City's Oval Plaza and will end at Brokenshire College SocSKSargen, Inc for a breakfast. Tickets are sold for P100.00 and a pre-registration is required on or before July 17, 2010.


Now, let us do that WALK!